BROOKLYN, N.Y. - Loyola hit a three-pointer to tie the game up with 1:58 on the clock, but the LIU Brooklyn men's basketball team went 6-for-6 from the free throw line in the final minute and a half at the Barclays Center Wednesday night, scraping out a 65-61 win over the Greyhounds. With the win, LIU starts the season 2-0. Seniors Iverson Fleming and Jerome Frink led the Blackbirds with 16 points apiece.

As is the recent history between the two teams, the game was a close one from the start, and remained that way, as neither squad would ever go up by more than six points. Loyola had the lead at the end of the first half, 37-36, but the Blackbirds came right out of the break and tied it up with a layup from senior Jerome Frink. Early foul trouble in the second half would cost LIU, as the Blackbirds put Loyola in the bonus just five minutes into play. The two teams were checked for a total of 54 fouls over the game, with the Greyhounds scoring 26 of their points from the free throw line.

Late in the second half, the Blackbirds used a 10-2 run over Loyola the take the lead, 52-46 with 8:33 to play., including a layup and two free throws from Fleming, who went 5-for-5 from the charity stripe in the win. Fleming's three pointer at 3:35 helped put LIU back up as the clock ran down, but Andrew Kostecka drained a three pointer at 1:58 to knot the score at 59-59.

The next time down the court, however, freshman Jashaun Agosto drew the foul, and made both free throws to put LIU back up two. After the Greyhounds missed the next time down the court, Agosto free another foul, and made both shots once more, giving the home team a 63-59 advantage. Loyola would bring it back within two on free throws from Jarred Jones with 47 seconds left to play, but senior Iverson Fleming was fouled on a rebound, and would ice the win for LIU by draining both free throws with eight seconds left in the game.

Fleming and Frink led the Blackbirds with 16 points, while Frink had seven boards for the Blackbirds. Freshman Jashaun Agosto had 12 points and two assists, while Julius van Sauers tied for the team lead with seven rebounds. Freshman Raiquan Clark also came up big for LIU with eight points and four rebounds, including three offensive boards.

NOTES FROM THE NEST
- Loyola shot just 31 percent from the field in the loss.
- Andre Walker led all players with 21 points
- LIU led for 61 percent of the game, that had only five lead changes.
- The Blackbirds out-rebounded the Greyhounds, 38-32, including a 26-19 advantage on defensive rebounds.
- Up next, the Blackbirds travel north to take part in the Steve Wright Classic at Boston University. LIU will take on three teams in three days, starting with Northeastern, Saturday, November 19 at 6 p.m.